Bird Photography - 24 hours in my photo blind
I decide to sleep in my photo blind to hopefully get the opportunity to photograph the shy birds. Behind the scenes about the wildlife photographer’s alarm clock and more. Open full description for more information.
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Location: Denmark
Day: 7°C (44,6°F)
Night: 2°C (36°F)
A few questions:
1. From where did you get the blind?
Home made - I got it from a friend four years ago. I have modified it a bit with a foam floor. It is really heavy so I had to move it to the field with a tractor and put it on some logs to avoid the moisture destroying the wood. I would like to modify it so that I have windows 360. I would like to make some changes in the blind, so that it is more comfortable to lay down in there.
2. What do you use for baiting the birds?
I most often use road kills that I find when I drive around. Sometimes one of the farmers has some bones after slaughtering - I also use that. I prefer road kills though because they are natural and because I move them from the road and avoid further kills of scavengers like craws, ravens and foxes. I have an extra freezer to store these road kills. I am very aware not to bait too often. Usually 5-10 times during one season. I do not want to disturb the natural behaviour of the wildlife by making them used to a feeding spot.
3. Is it bad for nature to bait?
The short answer is yes and no. From a “disturbing the balance in nature” it can be a bad idea to bait. But then again when it comes to disturbing nature, we humans are doing a pretty good job on that in almost everything we do, and I do believe all baiting can not be put in the same category. Feeding the birds in the garden outside your window is baiting, but I believe it helps some birds to survive in an area where people have taken over their habitat and replaced the woodlands and meadows with roads and concrete buildings.
It is all a balance and it should in my opinion not be judged as a right/wrong question. It is more complex.
I am very aware of not to bait too much and too often. My focus is on not letting the animals getting too used to a food source that they then depend on. It is more like a snack once or twice a week with months of not baiting.
Just my opinion and it might change as I get more knowledge.
4. How do you record through your viewfinder?
I use an Atomos Ninja V that I have connected to the camera. I find it rather difficult to use for general wildlife photography because it add both weight and volume. I think it is worth it though since it allows me to sometimes share my view through the camera.
5. What camera and lens are you using and why?
In this video I am using the Canon R5 for photography and the R6 for vlogging. The lens on the Canon R5 is the 200-400 with build in 1,4x converter.
6. Are you using Canon now?
I recorded the video just before I delivered back the equipment back to Canon. At the moment I am photographing with Nikon.
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That little dog is wonderful. :)
😘😂😂😂
The dog is the brains of this operation..............
m.kzhead.info/tools/ZrEjzAJ3AdShOyywXxzRKQ.html
Loved it too...
Yes he is, a great companion.
It’s incredible how much effort Morten puts into the cinematography of these videos, filming it alone with those nice details it’s such an effort, it always deserves a like
The scene with Morten laying out all of the batteries and memory cards feels like any "last stand" action movie where the people in the house are just laying all their ammo near the windows for easy access.
u would be American then lol
@@nomadcompany rifle behind every blade of grass... and we like that.
@@dannyboy8474 Glad you pointed it out. It did seem like stacking ammunition. Better to have that, and not need it, than it is to need it, and not have it. And all that. Totally American.
Only an American would have thought of that..
@@justinholding02 or an action movie buff :)
Bjorne’s little snore is adorable. It’s fantastic you are able to include him in your outings.
Wow! I really love this! I am now 15 years old and I am already doing nature photography. This is really my dream for the future. I myself once stood in a forest in front of the birdies. And then I found out that it is so soothing. I can see myself doing this in the future. Bring your dog, bring your camera, bring a sleeping bag, etcetera. Thank you very much for this video. I watch all your videos because I just think it's impressive how you do this! Super thanks!
Wonderful episode Morten - this has all the feel of a wildlife documentary. Love the fact that Björn is snoring away at 9:58.
Another truly great video. For me, your thoughts at the end of the video were priceless. I’m in an area of the U.S.A. where outdoor photography has just exploded. It’s become a highly competitive game if you will. The impact on the wildlife and environment is painfully obvious. We need photographers such as you to continue to educate/remind us of the impact we have when we step into nature. Well done Morten!
Good post.
Best thing to watch on YT is yet another new video from you Morten Hilmer. Really enjoy it and it is so inspiring. You are so dedicated to this. Love your work 👍🙏🤗
Morten, your videos make me feel at peace in this crazy world. Thank you!
Who else noticed the picture on the coffee cup in the behind the scenes lmao i want that cup lol
It looked like yerba mate ( gourd ) cup.
Looks like two Moose getting fresh😂
you can find it in google Aamupano -kahvimuki
kzhead.info/sun/mbB9pcx8nZWCq2g/bejne.html
Really love your little dog, Morten. I had a little photography/camp dog for many years. She was a real joy as I know yours is/was. :) You have a great respect for your subject matter and a wonderful philosophy of photography.
Love you Morten for respecting nature above your gains. I wish that every humans on earth follow this.
Your passion and great attitude are infectious. The one line about how grateful you were to get your amazing pictures made me respect you as much as your great talent for both photo's, and your amazing videos which are so well done. Very inspirational, we should all look for things we are thankful for everyday.
Yet another lovely film Morton and lovely to see you with your wee dog. Thanks for sharing this.
I look forward to these every week.Thank you so much this is so inspiring to watch.
Your message about photographer/nature visitor on end of video Is great. I Wish that there would more people like you with such respect to nature around us. Its trully dependent on humans. Thank you for motivating others to be better people when they are outsider. You have my great respect And i Wish you only the best in your life Morten.
Morten, you are an amazing film maker on top of being an incredible photographer. I have been following you for a more than a year and really appreciate your efforts in sharing your passion and knowledge. So grateful to have found your channel.
Such beautiful and oh so soothing work Morten. Thanks for sharing.
One of the best videos on wildlife photography.
Wonderful Shots!!! Thanks for taking us with you!
Saved this one so I could watch it with a cup of tea. I always forget you have hooded crows in Denmark and get very confused for a second 😅 Bjørn is such a good boy! He snores about as loud as my dog. 😄
Hello Morten! Good to hear from you! Tks!
Always interesting Morten. A great philosophy of not disturbing the subjects that you are trying to photograph. Thanks for sharing again Morten. Stay safe 😷🇦🇺
I skip 10 minutes of my class to watch this video
your love to him is commendable🌹
Same...
one day he will answr us
I should be writing my final paper right :)
@@BrahviKhalqiKachari lol
Beautiful dog. So well behaved. You have done an excellent job with him. I really enjoy watching your channel - you have so much genuine passion for nature and photography.
21h, I’m watching your video and instantly need a coffee !
The one and only Morten Hilmer. Thank you!
...devotion is what you see in Bjorn eyes... pure love and company "see you ALWAYS out there"...
Another calm and intriguing one. Thank you Morten, and congrats on 400k! 🤓
This gives peace to my heart and mind🌹
Beautiful lesson from the video that every nature photographers should know and practise in the field. Thank you Morten.
I love wildlife photography so it's easy to watch videos about it, but yours are so relaxing. I think the music and the way you share your excitement and passion are what make your channel the best. Thanks for all your efforts!
Another fabulous episode, many thanks for sharing. Your little friend snoring was just so funny!
each time i see one of your videos is hapiness and power!!!! thank you very much Morten!!!
You pup is lovely, snooring in the background creased me up!
What a great video. You are not only a great photographer, but a great person. You can tell that by the passion and love you have for animals. Your pooch is awesome too.
Man these are so awesome. That was very practical and thank you for taking about the impact we have on nature.
Incredible.
I do not know anything of photography, but you are so great at doing that bro, and the way you speek on the videos it makes it something beautiful and mainly accecible, I love your channel bro, you are doing a great job.
14:55 That's just an incredibly gorgeous shot.. Patience really pays off and there's nothing better than having a great photo as a memory of a great session
P1
Thank you very much for uploading Sir, great video as always.
Amazing video Morten! Very good message at the end 👏
23:37 such a valid point! I’ve often thought this over the years, it’s so easy to forget you’re disturbing nature when trying your best to capture a nice image. And then as you walk back to your car/home you see 5 or so other photographers heading to the same ‘secret’ spot. Respect is the key word
kzhead.info/sun/mbB9pcx8nZWCq2g/bejne.html
Beautiful photos and Bjorn is so sweet
I really appreciate and enjoy watching your adventures. Sometimes it's even better than a good book. And I agree with you we should respect wildlife when we are out there enjoying nature.
What a beautiful place and great setup. Love your work.
Such a relaxing joy to watch your work. Excellent points about the collective impact, so easy to forget we're all just one among many following the same goals to take photos like these.
How do you always manage to rivet my attention? You are amazing. And that companion of yours is the best. (Björn).
Thank you Morten. Great video, I agree, we have to be mindful of wildlife, it's a fine balance between sharing images that heighten the public's perception of nature and help conservation, and disturbing the animals. I think you've got the balance right. 👍
I’m enjoying your videos very much! Trying to watch one each evening. Loved seeing your sweet dog participating with you in this vlog!
Amazing. The dog is sooo cute.
great video as always morten! Thank you so much for inspiring me all the time!
Great stuff as always. I like the going and camping out in the blind to make sure you could capture the birds. Cheers!
I loved that sliding tripod/ camera stand of yours.. Very practical solution for tight space of blinds..
Great video as always Morten, you’re such an inspiration for me, thank you for sharing this with us! Best regards from Italy, Riccardo
Your videos are so beautifull and relaxing, I love them!
Loved this video👍, always happy a new Morten video is up😁
A documentary-like video. It's healing.
The idea about using natural sounds is a great one. I used to do this when I was a hunter. Thanks for sharing your photos and perspective! I agree that we need to protect Nature and these videos will really help!
No words to describe the vibe u given through thz video.....thnx man !
Your videos are so relaxing. Just existing in the moment is what really can’t do right now. You help me a lot with coming down !
Great video! Definitely enjoyed the moose’s banging on your coffee mug lol
Great video and some wonderful images
as always, a great movie and great shots. 👍📷
Such an inspiration 🙂
Great video Morten. I love how Bjørn is with you and you both have a nice time together in the blind. He's a really good boy. As a puppy he was so cute and still is. Want to know more about your friendship. 🙂 What's that spooky sound at 9:58 ? Is that Bjørn snoring? 👻
Hello Morten from Wisconsin. My husband and I love this video and check your live cam out through out the day and night! It was so cool to learn the story about the live cam. Thank you so much for giving us hours of enjoyment watching the visitors to the stream. Keep up the great work! :)
The doggy is so adorable 😍
Got to love the Moose Humping Coffee Mug!LOL
Thanks Morten. Very entertaining video. Your videos get better an better all the time!
Great video! I especially like the B-Roll-kind of scenes when you filming yourself doing something. I appreciate that these are the most time consuming to do, but they add so much.
Hi Morten. Clicking on the thumbsup icon for this video just seems so inadequate! I really appreciate your videos at any time but this one had so much content. I especially appreciated your personal message about our impact on wildlife. Thank you so much for all the time and effort you put into your channel - it’s all fantastic stuff.
I've been hoping for a new video from you. Beautiful photos. The highlight though, hearing your dog snore. So cute!
Haven´t watched it jet, but I know it´s gonna be amazing!!! Thanks, Morten.
Totally satisfied. Love you sir. Amazing Photography.
Love your work. Amazing photos.
no doubt he wroks hard❤️
Hi Morten beautiful and instructive video thank you
This fantastic piece of information and more eithical way to to photograph birds and animals. Thank you 😊🙏
Absolutely love that coffee cup! Definitely would add it to my collection aswell :-P
Love from india...♥️♥️♥️
kzhead.info/sun/mbB9pcx8nZWCq2g/bejne.html
Bharat mata ki jai
😎
Thanks for a great video Morten. What a beautiful way to spend time with mans best friend! I really need to put my phone on flight mode more. Cheers Keith
Soooo nice to see you again! Beautiful content, as always! Mange tak! :-) And that moose-mug! :-D
I really enjoyed this trip with you and the quiet dog, relaxing and beautiful, you are a lucky man.
Lovely work - again - as allways. And also the mug :-) :-) :-)
Wonderful video and what a lovely little dog you have too!
Superb video as usual. That’s a beautifully built blind!
Grande morten, sos el mejor
Great Bird Photography Vlog, thanks for sharing
Exclente morten video. Thank you for making the video caption active. It helps your followers in Brazil a lot. Big hug
That dog is so sweet❤️❤️
Wonderful video Morten. Thank you for bringing up some of the ethical part of wildlife photography! You hit the spot there, being so many nature photographers these days the pressure on nature, especially on wildlife is so much bigger than it was before the DSLR era. I also think that putting the well being of the animal first is more important than getting a shot to post on social media. Keep up the good work and stay safe!
Is baiting ethical?
Thanks for sharing this awesome video.
Awesome quality! Inspiring :)
Wow, another superb video! Greetings from Italy!
Great...Photography🤗
I'm glad I read the -for more information- before I shot my mouth off. What a great old weathered building. Some of those birds look like what we call magpies over here.
The way that dog listen is very cool 😎
3:10 Only the beginning of the video and you've already got a killer shot. Amazing content
I like the Blackbird alarm, mine is a Golden Oriel 👍🏼 the hair and beard are coming on well 😂
Great video!... thanks for sharing with all of us